PA minister claims Cave of Patriarchs is a "purely Islamic site," condemns Jewish "invasions" of Al-Aqsa and calls for Ribat

WAFA, official PA news agency
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Sept. 1, 2016

Headline: “The occupation closed the Ibrahimi Mosque today, and banned the sounding of the call to prayer 49 times during the past month”
“The Israeli occupation authorities today, Thursday [Sept. 1, 2016], closed the Ibrahimi Mosque (i.e., Cave of the Patriarchs) in Hebron, and used the Jewish holidays as an excuse…
[PA] Minister of Religious Affairs Yusuf Ida’is condemned the occupation’s decision to close the mosque. He emphasized that it is necessary to act immediately in order to save it and put an end to this and all of the daily violations and attacks. Likewise, he viewed this as ‘an outrageous blow to the Muslims and to the purely Islamic site.’…
He added: ‘In the same way, the occupation continues its policy at the Al-Aqsa Mosque – daily invasions, Talmudic (i.e., Jewish) prayers, and plans to change the face of the land adjacent to it. [Even] the dead were not saved from its policy, especially in the historical Ma’man Allah (i.e., Mamilla) cemetery, which was and still is subjected to the ugliest attack. It [the occupation] is holding an alcohol drinking festival (i.e., the Jerusalem Beer Festival at Independence Park at the end of August 2016) on its land, and there is no need to mention the digging [in graves], the shattering [of tombstones], and the planting of fake graves.’
Likewise, he called to maintain a permanent presence [at the Al-Aqsa Mosque], and to go up to it and continue [carrying out] Ribat (i.e., religious conflict/war over land claimed to be Islamic).”

The PA and its leaders consider the Ibrahimi Mosque, i.e., the Cave of the Patriarchs, to be a “purely Islamic” site. Therefore they view any presence of Jews there as an "attack."

The PA and its leaders consider all of the Temple Mount an integral part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Therefore they view any presence of Jews on the mount as an “invasion.” It should be noted that Jews who visit the Temple Mount only enter some sections of the open areas, and do not enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque or the Dome of the Rock.